Connie Haines

Connie Haines (January 20, 1921 – September 22, 2008) was an American singer. Her 200 recordings were frequently up-tempo big band songs with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras, and Frank Sinatra.

Biography

Born as Yvonne Marie Antoinette JaMais in Savannah, Georgia. Her mother Mildred JaMais (February 15, 1899 – January 7, 2010) survived her daughter by about sixteen months, and died shortly before her 111th birthday. Haines began performing at age 4, and by age 9 had a regular radio show performing as Baby Yvonne Marie, the Little Princess of the Air. After a number of regional successes and winning the Major Bowes contest, she was hired by Harry James, who asked her to change her name. She became the lead singer on the Abbott & Costello radio show from 1942 to 1946. She later joined Tommy Dorsey, and Haines credited Dorsey with developing her style further. Haines performed in a number of films, including Duchess of Idaho. She later did a television show with Frankie Laine.

Selected discography

Tribute to Helen Morgan (1997)

Singin’ and Swingin’ (2001)

Nightingale from Savannah (2008)

The Magic of Believing (2008) – with Jane Russell and Beryl Davis

Heart and Soul of Connie (2009)

Kiss The Boys Goodbye (2009)

Personal life

She was married and divorced twice. Her first marriage was to World War II flying ace Robert DeHaven (January 13, 1922 – July 10, 2008) in 1951. That marriage produced a son and a daughter. Her subsequent marriage to popular bandleader Del Courtney (September 24, 1910 – February 11, 2006) lasted from 1966 to 1972.

Death

Connie Haines died of myasthenia gravis on September 22, 2008 at age 87. Amazingly, her mother, Mildred JaMais of Clearwater, Florida, survived her at age 109. JaMais died in January 2010, just short of her 111th birthday.